Effective Communication Skills

Course duration – 1 day

”First search for understanding, then be understood.”

Business scenario

Good communication is vital to the success of any organisation and individual career. The ability to influence and instruct people affects everything we do and the results that we achieve.

However a major stumbling block is that communication is viewed as a largely unconscious process; we just do it. When communications break down we view the other party as being unhelpful or we blame external factors such as budget constraints and market conditions.

Who will benefit?

Those wanting to improve the quality of their interaction with others and to use their communication to build and maintain strong working relationships. Similarly, those who want to communicate their messages and ideas in the most effective way.

Course objectives

By the end of the course, delegates will be able to:

• Use the essentials of good communication to influence positive outcomes
• Manage your conversation for better results
• Communicate clearly to avoid or clarify misunderstandings
• Provide positive and constructive feedback
• Resolve conflict positively

Course content

• Giving information
• Choosing the right words
• Recognising the benefits of positive language
• Choosing the appropriate format and medium to get the message across
• Working with tone and body language
• Improving your questioning techniques
• Building rapport
• Creating affinity
• Using the ‘conversation cycle’ to enhance communication
• Understanding ‘Transactional Analysis’
• Dealing with difficult people
• Checking understanding
• Receiving information
• Using ‘active’ listening
• Understanding the other person’s perspective
• Reading gestures
• Overcoming obstacles to effective listening
• Checking understanding
• Acknowledging correctly

Course features

Through questionnaires, discussion and practical exercises you will examine your current style of communication to highlight and build on what is working well for you. The course will provide techniques to enhance communication in order to achieve your development goals.